Following the first in-person meeting among the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominating committee in the hall’s history, NASCAR announced the 20 nominees for the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame’s sixth induction class, as well as the five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
 
Included among the list up for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame are an eclectic—and exemplary—group of individuals whose skillsets span all levels of racing and areas of expertise.
 
Among them are two-time NASCAR premier series champion Terry Labonte; 1988 NASCAR premier series champion and 16-time Most Popular Driver Bill Elliott; nine-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik, whose titles came in both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East; Buddy Baker, a 19-time NASCAR premier series winner; and championship winning engine builder and team owner Robert Yates.
 
From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2015 class will be Wednesday, May 21. Fans can attend the announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
 
As was announced last November during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.
 
The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award are H. Clay Earles, Anne B. France, Raymond Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Ken Squier (more on each below). Parks is the only individual who was included as both a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and a Landmark Award nominee.
 
This round of nominees was selected by a 22-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks, as well as one at-large member. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young.
 
Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:
 
Buddy Baker,won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500
 
Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949
 
Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
 
Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
 
Bill Elliott, 1988 premier series champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner and 16-time Most Popular Driver
 
Ray Fox,legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others
 
Rick Hendrick, 14-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
 
Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier series champion
 
Terry Labonte, Two-time NASCAR premier series champion
 
Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
 
Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
 
Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier series champion
 
Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion
 
Wendell Scott,NASCAR trailblazer was the first African-American NASCAR premier series race winner, and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
 
O. Bruton Smith, builder of Charlotte Motor Speedway and architect of Speedway Motorsports Inc.
 
Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships
 
Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
 
Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier series champion
 
Rex White, 1960 NASCAR premier series champion
 
Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner
 
The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award are as follows:
 
H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway
 
Anne Bledsoe France, helped build the sport with husband Bill France Sr. Affectionately known as "Annie B.," she is the first woman to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
 
Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
 
Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
 
Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner / namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence
 
The 22-person Nominating Committee follows:
 
NOMINATING COMMITTEE

NASCAR Hall of Fame: Executive Director Winston Kelley; Historian Buz McKim.
 
NASCAR Officials: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim France; President Mike Helton; Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton; Executive Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O'Donnell; Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps; Competition Administrator Jerry Cook; former Vice President Ken Clapp. (Note: Due to Jerry Cook’s inclusion on the ballot for the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, he was recused from voting for the 2015 nominee class.)
 
Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa Kennedy; Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell; Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage; Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark; former Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George; Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn; Pocono Raceway board of director member Looie McNally; Bowman Gray Stadium operator Dale Pinilis; Riverhead Raceway operators Jim and Barbara Cromarty (1 vote); Rockford Speedway owner Jody Deery; Kingsport Speedway Operator Robert Pressley.
 
At-Large: Mike Joy, lead announcer for NASCAR on FOX.